Modern anti-lock braking system (ABS) control units are constructed to minimize weight and space requirements of the unit. Current ABS units include three major parts: an electronic control unit; a hydraulic control unit; and an ABS pump. Typically, the ABS pump is spaced away from the electronic control unit by the hydraulic control unit. In order for the electronic control unit to supply power to the ABS pump during system activation, the pump must be electrically connected to a circuit within the electronic control unit. Past designs have used cables which are located exterior of the hydraulic control unit to electrically connect between pump and circuit. Electrical connections exterior of the hydraulic control unit are subjected to severe environmental conditions which may lead to degradation of the electrical connection and system performance. These cables may also be inadvertently disconnected due to jarring or vibration. Known designs also use electrical connections between the circuit and ABS pump which extend perpendicular from the circuit of the electronic control unit through an aperture in the hydraulic control unit to the pump. These electrical connections internal to the hydraulic control unit are fastened or fixed to the printed circuit through a soldering process at the time the electronic control unit is manufactured. The connection fixed to the circuit of the electronic control unit must therefore be adapted to pass through a hydraulic control unit and to establish an adequate connection to the ABS pump when the ABS system is assembled.
In current practice, the electronic control unit, the hydraulic control unit and the ABS pump are manufactured by different suppliers, and are assembled together at another location. Current electronic control unit designs require that any fixed electrical connection be soldered to the printed circuit of the electronic control unit, after which the fixed connection is sealed from the exterior environment. As a result, the pump electrical connector is attached to the printed circuit at the time the electronic control unit is assembled, before the electronic control unit is shipped to a final location for assembly into an ABS unit. Because fixed electrical connectors protrude perpendicularly from the electronic control unit, shipping precautions dictate the use of extra packaging space for shipping electronic control units to assembly points to prevent damage to the electronic control unit. Nevertheless, shipping and handling damage to the connector extending perpendicularly from the electronic control unit housing frequently occurs. Moreover, fixing and sealing the pump electrical connector increases the complexity of the electronic control unit manufacture process. In particular, the connector first must be soldered or otherwise fixed to the printed circuit during manufacture of the electronic control unit. Because power requirements of the ABS pump are large, the connector must be capable of transmitting the necessary power. As a result, the electrical contact between the printed circuit and the electrical connector may be relatively large and secure. In particular, soldering integrity between the printed circuit and the connector becomes very complex as the area of the connection increases, requiring increased heat and manufacturing attention in order to achieve a robust electrical connection. Also, once the connector is fixedly attached to the printed circuit, the attachment must be sealed from external environmental conditions. Typically, after the electrical connector is attached to the printed circuit, a seal is molded in place about the electrical connector which forms a seal between the connector and the housing of the electronic control unit. Molding this seal requires an additional manufacturing step, the integrity of which must be monitored closely to prevent unit failure during service lifetime.
Current designs of electrical connectors between ABS pump and electronic control units also limit serviceability of the ABS unit. Because the electrical connection is soldered to a printed circuit and then molded in place, the electrical connector is not a replaceable part. Should the electrical connection ever fail, due to environmental conditions or manufacturing defects, the entire electronic control unit would have to be replaced rather than simply replacing the electrical connector.